In Miami, Formula 1 tried to present itself in a slightly different way, but the weekend revealed that certain underlying issues remain unchanged. The adjustments introduced to free up drivers, make qualifying more pure, and reduce extremes in races have failed to convince those who have been criticising the new direction for months. Max Verstappen has not changed his mind, Lando Norris has doubled down, and the feeling in the paddock is that the debate about the technical future of the category has entered a phase where words carry as much weight as lap time gaps on track.
A regulation that fails to convince those it is meant to help
Max Verstappen has not stepped back from his position. The four-time World Champion, long the most outspoken critic of the 2026 engine regulations, has reiterated that the changes introduced during the April break do not alter the fundamental issue. The goal was clear: allow drivers to push flat-out in qualifying and reduce energy management in races. But for Verstappen, who finished fifth in Miami, the outcome is far from what was expected.
“My car is a bit better, but what I said before still stands,” he explained. “You still have to slow down in some corners in order to go faster afterwards. That’s not how it should be.”
The core issue, according to him, remains unchanged: the harder you enter a corner, the more you are penalised on the following straight. It is a technical paradox that continues to shape driving style and, for Verstappen, cannot be fixed with small adjustments.
“It is still restrictive,” he added. “At least my car is a bit better, it’s less stressful to drive.”
A minor concession that does not change the overall picture.
Norris and Piastri reinforce the critical front
Verstappen’s comments are echoed by Lando Norris, who finished second in Miami and is becoming increasingly central in the technical debate. The reigning champion described the changes as “a small step”, but still insufficient to restore the kind of driving freedom that should define Formula 1.
“If you go full throttle everywhere, you are still being penalised,” he explained. “You still can’t push like in previous years. That shouldn’t happen, but it still does.”
From there, he went as far as proposing a more radical solution:
“Honestly, I don’t think you can fix it. You just need to remove the battery.”
A position that, just a few months ago, would have sounded extreme. Today, however, it is part of an increasingly broad critical front.
Miami did not change the narrative: Formula 1 is trying to correct a system that, by design, may not be fixable through marginal interventions. Verstappen remains firmly in his position, Norris pushes for a clean break, and the paddock watches closely.
The question is no longer whether changes are needed, but how deep those changes must go to bring the sport back to where drivers—and many fans—believe it should be.
Miami did not change the narrative: Formula 1 is trying to correct a system that, given its construction, might not be fixable with marginal interventions. Verstappen remains firm in his positions, Norris is pushing for a clean break, and the paddock watches on. The question is no longer whether changes are needed, but how deep they must be to bring the category back to where the drivers—and many fans—believe it belongs. The technical direction of the sport remains a point of contention among its biggest stars, suggesting that the path toward 2026 is still far from being settled.
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